Recent Immigrants in Metropolitan Areas: Calgary—A Comparative Profile Based on the 2001 Census

Part E: Income

Sources and level of income

Sources of income vary by time in canada

Nearly eight in ten Canadian-born women and nine in ten Canadian-born men had earnings from employment in the year 2000. A larger share of the Canadian-born than immigrants had income from employment. For immigrants who landed before 1986, the proportion with earnings was lower than that of the Canadian-born and other immigrant cohorts. The smaller share of recent immigrants with employment income reflects lower participation in the workforce.

The share of persons with employment income generally was higher in 2000 than in 1995, with the exception of the earlier immigrant cohorts and Canadian-born women (about seven percentage points higher for very recent immigrants and four percentage points higher for those who immigrated during the 1986-1995 period).

The incidence of zero income was extremely low for all immigrant groups and the Canadian-born, primarily because almost everyone received transfer payments from the government.

Recent immigrants were much less likely to have other private income—for example, income from investments or pension plans—in comparison to the Canadian-born and earlier immigrants. The proportion of persons in the very recent immigrant cohort with private income has generally decreased since 1995.

The fact that 95% of persons receive transfer payments from government is something unique to the province of Alberta. The almost universal presence of transfer payments is also something new. It may reflect the “Alberta advantage” initiatives implemented by the provincial government, including an increase of family tax benefits, energy cost rebates and special educational programs for employment insurance recipients, trades people and immigrant women.

Table E-1: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 years of age and over—sources of income, by gender, Calgary Census Metropolitan Area, 2000 (number and percentage)

No income

Employment income

Otherprivate income

Government transfers

Total

Women

Canadian-born

5,640

215,480

88,280

263,580

281,290

Immigrants

990

60,230

28,720

88,520

91,520

Immigrated before 1986

140

32,760

20,690

51,680

52,960

Immigrated 1986-1995

560

19,740

5,960

26,550

27,690

Immigrated 1996-1999

300

7,730

2,080

10,300

10,870

Men

Canadian-born

5,180

242,950

74,880

262,350

282,390

Immigrants

790

67,890

25,250

82,690

86,600

Immigrated before 1986

20

39,740

19,160

50,600

52,510

Immigrated 1986-1995

520

20,060

4,230

22,970

24,380

Immigrated 1996-1999

250

8,100

1,870

9,130

9,710

Total

Canadian-born

10,820

458,440

163,150

525,930

563,670

Immigrants

1,770

128,130

53,980

171,190

178,110

Immigrated before 1986

160

72,510

39,840

102,270

105,470

Immigrated 1986-1995

1,070

39,800

10,190

49,510

52,060

Immigrated 1996-1999

550

15,830

3,950

19,420

20,590

Women

Canadian-born

2%

77%

31%

94%

100%

Immigrants

1%

66%

31%

97%

100%

Immigrated before 1986

0%

62%

39%

98%

100%

Immigrated 1986-1995

2%

71%

22%

96%

100%

Immigrated 1996-1999

3%

71%

19%

95%

100%

Men

Canadian-born

2%

86%

27%

93%

100%

Immigrants

1%

78%

29%

95%

100%

Immigrated before 1986

0%

76%

36%

96%

100%

Immigrated 1986-1995

2%

82%

17%

94%

100%

Immigrated 1996-1999

3%

83%

19%

94%

100%

Total

Canadian-born

2%

81%

29%

93%

100%

Immigrants

1%

72%

30%

96%

100%

Immigrated before 1986

0%

69%

38%

97%

100%

Immigrated 1986-1995

2%

76%

20%

95%

100%

Immigrated 1996-1999

3%

77%

19%

94%

100%

Note: Incomes are for the year 2000. In all tables in Part E, immigrants and very recent immigrants include only those who landed before the year 2000 and could have had income the entire year. A person may have income from one, two or all three sources. The three sources are defined in the Glossary.

Average income higher for immigrants who have been in Canada longer

The average income of immigrants in the year 2000 was four-fifths of that of the Canadian-born. Those who immigrated before 1986 had nearly the same income as the Canadian-born. For very recent immigrants, average income was about three-fifths of that of the Canadian-born. And those who immigrated during the 1986-1995 period had average income close to two-thirds of the level of the Canadian-born.

Compared to 1995, average income of very recent immigrants increased more than that of other cohorts, by more than one-half for men and two-fifths for women. For other cohorts, the change was in the order of one-fifth.

The average income of women was less than three-fifths of that of men.

Table E-2: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 years of age and over with income—average income and sources of average income, by gender, Calgary Census Metropolitan Area, 2000

Sources of average income

Gender

Average income of persons with income

Employment income

Other private income

Government transfer payments

Total

Women

Canadian-born

$26,870

80%

11%

10%

100%

Immigrants

$22,770

72%

12%

16%

100%

Immigrated before 1986

$26,430

69%

15%

16%

100%

Immigrated 1986-1995

$18,450

78%

7%

16%

100%

Immigrated 1996-1999

$15,590

79%

7%

14%

100%

Men

Canadian-born

$47,790

86%

10%

4%

100%

Immigrants

$40,010

82%

10%

8%

100%

Immigrated before 1986

$46,570

79%

13%

8%

100%

Immigrated 1986-1995

$29,910

89%

4%

6%

100%

Immigrated 1996-1999

$29,100

91%

4%

5%

100%

Total

Canadian-born

$37,360

84%

10%

6%

100%

Immigrants

$31,160

78%

11%

11%

100%

Immigrated before 1986

$36,470

75%

13%

11%

100%

Immigrated 1986-1995

$23,810

85%

5%

10%

100%

Immigrated 1996-1999

$21,960

87%

5%

9%

100%

Note: Incomes are for the year 2000. In all tables in Part E, immigrants and very recent immigrants include only those who landed before the year 2000 and could have had income the entire year.

Earnings from employment account for the bulk of income of all groups. Among recent immigrant women as compared to Canadian-born women, earnings from employment make up a slightly smaller proportion of income, with the opposite pattern holding true for recent immigrant men as compared to Canadian-born men.

Compared to 1995, employment income generally accounted for a somewhat larger share of income, and other private income and government transfer payments each declined as a share of income. The very recent male immigrant cohort experienced the largest increase in the share of income derived from employment, eight percentage points, offset by a decline in the share of government transfer payments of six percentage points. For other cohorts the change was in the order of two percentage points.

Earnings of recent immigrants who worked mostly full-time lower

The wages and salaries earned by recent immigrants who worked mostly full-time in 2000 are below the Calgary average. Earlier immigrants had average incomes slightly higher than the Canadian-born.

Table E-3: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 years of age and over, employed mostly full-time—average earnings from wages and salaries, and earnings as percentage of overall average, Calgary Census Metropolitan Area, 2000

Amount

Percentage of overall average

Canadian-born

$45,110

103%

Immigrants

$39,130

89%

Immigrated before 1986

$45,420

104%

Immigrated 1986-1995

$30,830

70%

Immigrated 1996-1999

$29,380

67%

All who worked mostly full-time

$43,780

100%

Note: Incomes are for the year 2000. In all tables in Part E, immigrants and very recent immigrants include only those who landed before the year 2000 and could have had income the entire year.

The relative level of wages and salaries of very recent immigrants, at 67% of the average, was higher than in 1995 by 14 percentage points. Their average earnings were rather close to the wages of the earlier cohorts. Those who had been in the country from 5 to 15 years, however, had a lower relative earnings level than their counterparts in the previous census.

Transfer payments a larger share of income of households of non-seniors

In the year 2000, virtually all households in Calgary received government transfer payments. The transfer payments received by recent immigrant households were higher than those received by Canadian-born households, both in dollar terms and relative to income.

Transfer payments vary considerably with the age of the oldest person in the household, and so do differences between recent immigrant, earlier immigrant and Canadian-born households. Recent immigrant households of the very young receive more or less the same amounts as their Canadian-born and earlier immigrant counterparts, while households of persons aged 25 to 44 and 45 to 64 received substantially larger amounts than the Canadian-born and earlier immigrants.

Transfer payments to households without seniors generally reflect benefits of Employment Insurance, Workers Compensation, social assistance, student assistance, or other programs. Included in these transfer payments are tax credits such as the Canada Child Benefit, GST tax credits and tax credits from the Government of Alberta. The larger amounts of transfer payments for recent immigrant households of persons 25 to 64 years old may have to do with the larger average number of children in families and with differences in labour market participation and unemployment reviewed in Part D. That transfer payments from government make up a larger part of income than for their Canadian-born and earlier immigrant counterparts also reflects their lower incomes.

Almost all households with persons 65 years of age and over received government transfer payments—Old Age Security, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, or Canada or Quebec Pension Plan benefits. Recent immigrant households of seniors on average received about the same amount in transfer payments as earlier immigrants and the Canadian-born, but households consisting only of immigrants who landed very recently received much less. Very recent immigrants are not entitled to Old Age Security and have not built up large credits under the Canada or Quebec Pension Plan.

Table E-4: Immigrant households (by period of immigration) and Canadian-born households—percentage of households receiving transfers, average amount of government transfer payments, and transfers as a share of income, by age of older parent in family or oldest person in non-family household, Calgary Census Metropolitan Area, 2000

15 to 24 years

25 to 44 years

45 to 65 years

65 years and over

Total

Share of households receiving government transfer payments

Canadian-born households

99%

99%

99%

100%

99%

Earlier immigrant households

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

Recent immigrant households

97%

100%

100%

100%

100%

1986-1995 immigrants

96%

100%

100%

100%

100%

1996-1999 immigrants with others

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

1996-1999 immigrants only

95%

100%

100%

98%

100%

Average amount of transfer per receiving household

Canadian-born households

$1,900

$2,400

$2,900

$17,200

$4,600

Earlier immigrant households

$2,300

$3,100

$3,500

$18,000

$7,300

Recent immigrant households

$1,800

$4,000

$4,700

$17,600

$5,500

1986-1995 immigrants

$1,900

$4,100

$4,400

$18,000

$5,600

1996-1999 immigrants with others

$2,300

$3,900

$6,100

$18,400

$6,200

1996-1999 immigrants only

$800

$3,800

$4,700

$11,500

$4,400

Transfers as a share of income, all households

Canadian-born households

6%

3%

3%

33%

6%

Earlier immigrant households

6%

4%

4%

34%

10%

Recent immigrant households

6%

6%

7%

29%

9%

1986-1995 immigrants

6%

6%

6%

32%

8%

1996-1999 immigrants with others

6%

6%

7%

21%

8%

1996-1999 immigrants only

5%

8%

8%

30%

9%

Note: Incomes are for the year 2000. In all tables in Part E, immigrants and very recent immigrants include only those who landed before the year 2000 and could have had income the entire year

The distribution of income

Personal income reaches parity and similar distribution with longer stay

Of very recent immigrants, nearly five out of ten women and three out of ten men reported no income or income of less than $10,000 in 2000.

Recent immigrants are underrepresented at the high end of the income scale. The share of recently immigrated men with incomes of $50,000 and over is about one-half of that of the Canadian-born, while the share of recently immigrated women with incomes of $50,000 and over is about one-third of that of the Canadian-born. The proportion with incomes of $50,000 and over is the same among earlier immigrants and the Canadian-born.

Table E-5: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 years of age and over—income levels, by gender (number and percentage distribution) and average income, by gender, Calgary Census Metropolitan Area, 2000

Without income

$1 to $9,999

$10,000 to $29,999

$30,000 to $49,999

$50,000 and over

Total

Women

Canadian-born

5,640

73,330

103,080

63,090

36,150

281,280

Immigrants

980

25,360

41,860

15,260

8,020

91,530

Immigrated before 1986

140

11,130

24,810

10,680

6,200

52,970

Immigrated 1986-1995

560

9,480

12,650

3,590

1,410

27,680

Immigrated 1996-1999

290

4,750

4,400

1,000

420

10,880

Men

Canadian-born

5,180

45,460

71,720

71,540

88,510

282,390

Immigrants

780

13,180

29,600

21,500

21,520

86,590

Immigrated before 1986

20

4,940

17,120

13,990

16,440

52,510

Immigrated 1986-1995

520

5,740

8,780

5,650

3,690

24,380

Immigrated 1996-1999

250

2,510

3,700

1,860

1,400

9,710

Total

Canadian-born

10,820

118,790

174,800

134,620

124,660

563,670

Immigrants

1,770

38,550

71,490

36,780

29,530

178,110

Immigrated before 1986

160

16,060

41,950

24,680

22,620

105,470

Immigrated 1986-1995

1,070

15,230

21,440

9,240

5,090

52,060

Immigrated 1996-1999

550

7,270

8,100

2,870

1,820

20,590

Withoutincome

$1 to$9,999

$10,000 to $29,999

$30,000 to $49,999

$50,000 and over

Total

Average income

Women

Canadian-born

2%

26%

37%

22%

13%

100%

$26 330

Immigrants

1%

28%

46%

17%

9%

100%

$22 530

Immigrated before 1986

0%

21%

47%

20%

12%

100%

$26 360

Immigrated 1986-1995

2%

34%

46%

13%

5%

100%

$18 090

Immigrated 1996-1999

3%

44%

40%

9%

4%

100%

$15 170

Men

Canadian-born

2%

16%

25%

25%

31%

100%

$46 910

Immigrants

1%

15%

34%

25%

25%

100%

$39 650

Immigrated before 1986

0%

9%

33%

27%

31%

100%

$46 550

Immigrated 1986-1995

2%

24%

36%

23%

15%

100%

$29 280

Immigrated 1996-1999

3%

26%

38%

19%

14%

100%

$28 330

Total

Canadian-born

2%

21%

31%

24%

22%

100%

$36 640

Immigrants

1%

22%

40%

21%

17%

100%

$30 850

Immigrated before 1986

0%

15%

40%

23%

21%

100%

$36 410

Immigrated 1986-1995

2%

29%

41%

18%

10%

100%

$23 320

Immigrated 1996-1999

3%

35%

39%

14%

9%

100%

$21 380

Note: Incomes are for the year 2000. In all tables in Part E, immigrants and very recent immigrants include only those who landed before the year 2000 and could have had income the entire year.

Distribution of household income becomes very similar

In 2000, recent immigrant households had an average income of $63,600 or 85% of the income of Canadian-born households. Unlike the situation in Canada as a whole, incomes of very recent immigrant households in Calgary are substantially lower than those of Canadian-born households. The income of households consisting only of very recent immigrants is 57% of the income of households of the Canadian-born.

Note: Incomes are for the year 2000. In all tables in Part E, immigrants and very recent immigrants include only those who landed before the year 2000 and could have had income the entire year. The total “All households” includes households of non-permanent residents not shown in the table. For definitions of household and related concepts, see the Glossary.

One-third of households consisting of only very recent immigrants have income of less than $20,000, in spite of their large size. In households that combine very recent immigrants with other persons, their relatively high income may be a result of their large size and the fact that the other members of the household have lived in Canada for more than five years and are more likely to be earners.

Low income twice as common among very recent immigrants

Recent immigrants are more likely than earlier immigrants and the Canadian-born to live in families with incomes that fall below the median family income or, if they do not live in families, to have income below the median for unattached individuals. They are also more likely to have or live in families with incomes that fall below one-half of the median income—that is, to have low income. The percentage of immigrants with income in the bottom half or quarter of the income distribution declines in relation to the length of stay in Canada of the cohort.

Figure E-1: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—percentage with family or individual income below the median and below one-half of the median, Calgary Census Metropolitan Area, 2000

Note: Incomes are for the year 2000. In all figures in Part E, immigrants and very recent immigrants include only those who landed before the year 2000 and could have had income the entire year. For a definition of median income and details about the calculations, see the Glossary.

The share of very recent immigrants whose family or individual income is below one-half of the median income is twice as large as that of the Canadian-born. The proportion of very recent immigrants with income below the median is also much higher, with two out of three finding themselves in this situation. Although earlier immigrant households have higher average income than Canadian-born households (Table E-6), a slightly larger proportion of earlier immigrants find themselves below the median or one-half the median income.

The proportion of individuals with income below the median varies with age and, to a lesser extent, gender. For the Canadian-born and earlier immigrants, the highest incidence of incomes that are below the median is found among seniors. But this is not so for very recent immigrants, among whom incomes below the median are more common for younger age groups. Persons who immigrated during the 1986-1995 period occupy a middle ground.

In all age and gender groups except women and men 65 years of age and over, the proportion of persons with income below the overall median is higher among recent immigrants than among the Canadian-born. This difference is most pronounced for people of working age, from 25 to 64 years old.

Nearly three out of ten immigrants who landed between 1996 and 1999 have low income or live in families with low income—that is, income below one-half of the median. This share is twice as large as for the Canadian-born. The difference in the incidence of low income between very recent immigrants and the Canadian-born is smallest for seniors. Recently immigrated women 25 to 64 years of age are more likely than their male counterparts to have low income.

Table E-7: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—family or individual income below the median, by age and gender, Calgary Census Metropolitan Area, 2000 (number and percentage)

Under 15 years

15 to 24 years

25 to 64 years

65 yearsand over

Total

Women

Canadian-born

42,080

28,310

81,940

19,120

171,450

Immigrants

2,780

4,580

34,300

10,870

52,530

Immigrated before 1986

–

660

16,840

9,100

26,600

Immigrated 1986-1995

1,040

2,560

11,980

1,430

17,010

Immigrated 1996-1999

1,740

1,360

5,490

340

8,930

Men

Canadian-born

43,610

26,520

74,110

14,090

158,320

Immigrants

2,820

4,860

29,980

8,900

46,530

Immigrated before 1986

–

710

15,540

7,690

23,920

Immigrated 1986-1995

1,030

2,810

9,500

1,010

14,340

Immigrated 1996-1999

1,790

1,340

4,950

210

8,270

Total

Canadian-born

85,690

54,830

156,040

33,210

329,770

Immigrants

5,590

9,430

64,280

19,770

99,050

Immigrated before 1986

–

1,370

32,370

16,790

50,520

Immigrated 1986-1995

2,070

5,370

21,470

2,440

31,350

Immigrated 1996-1999

3,520

2,700

10,440

550

17,190

Women

Canadian-born

49%

50%

42%

68%

47%

Immigrants

65%

59%

51%

67%

55%

Immigrated before 1986

–

44%

44%

70%

50%

Immigrated 1986-1995

57%

58%

58%

57%

58%

Immigrated 1996-1999

71%

70%

66%

61%

67%

Men

Canadian-born

49%

44%

37%

65%

43%

Immigrants

65%

58%

46%

66%

51%

Immigrated before 1986

–

47%

39%

68%

46%

Immigrated 1986-1995

61%

57%

54%

56%

55%

Immigrated 1996-1999

67%

69%

67%

63%

67%

Total

Canadian-born

49%

47%

39%

67%

45%

Immigrants

65%

58%

49%

67%

53%

Immigrated before 1986

–

46%

41%

69%

48%

Immigrated 1986-1995

59%

58%

56%

57%

56%

Immigrated 1996-1999

69%

69%

66%

62%

67%

Note: Incomes are for the year 2000. In all tables in Part E, immigrants and very recent immigrants include only those who landed before the year 2000 and could have had income the entire year. For a definition of median income and details about the calculations, see the Glossary.

Table E-8: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—family or individual income below one-half of the median, by age and gender, Calgary Census Metropolitan Area, 2000 (number and percentage)

Under 15 years

15 to 24 years

25 to 64 years

65 yearsand over

Total

Women

Canadian-born

12,660

11,830

25,300

4,500

54,290

Immigrants

1,080

2,000

11,810

3,400

18,290

Immigrated before 1986

–

250

5,550

2,810

8,590

Immigrated 1986-1995

350

980

4,100

480

5,920

Immigrated 1996-1999

730

770

2,170

120

3,780

Men

Canadian-born

13,100

10,100

19,900

4,250

47,340

Immigrants

1,180

1,910

9,160

3,710

15,930

Immigrated before 1986

–

320

4,480

3,170

7,950

Immigrated 1986-1995

410

950

2,790

460

4,600

Immigrated 1996-1999

770

640

1,890

80

3,380

Total

Canadian-born

25,760

21,920

45,200

8,750

101,620

Immigrants

2,260

3,900

20,970

7,100

34,210

Immigrated before 1986

–

570

10,030

5,980

16,540

Immigrated 1986-1995

760

1,930

6,890

930

10,520

Immigrated 1996-1999

1,500

1,400

4,060

200

7,160

Women

Canadian-born

15%

21%

13%

16%

15%

Immigrants

25%

26%

18%

21%

19%

Immigrated before 1986

–

17%

14%

21%

16%

Immigrated 1986-1995

19%

22%

20%

19%

20%

Immigrated 1996-1999

30%

39%

26%

21%

28%

Men

Canadian-born

15%

17%

10%

20%

13%

Immigrants

27%

23%

14%

28%

18%

Immigrated before 1986

–

21%

11%

28%

15%

Immigrated 1986-1995

24%

19%

16%

25%

18%

Immigrated 1996-1999

29%

33%

25%

25%

27%

Total

Canadian-born

15%

19%

11%

18%

14%

Immigrants

26%

24%

16%

24%

18%

Immigrated before 1986

–

19%

13%

25%

16%

Immigrated 1986-1995

22%

21%

18%

22%

19%

Immigrated 1996-1999

29%

36%

26%

22%

28%

Note: Incomes are for the year 2000. In all tables in Part E, immigrants and very recent immigrants include only those who landed before the year 2000 and could have had income the entire year. For a definition of median income and details about the calculations, see the Glossary.

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